A Fair to Remember
by LTAOZFAN
Summary: Kim and Ron just wanted to get inside before the rain started, but the place they ducked into turned out to be very unusual, even for them.
1. Chapter 1

**A Fair To Remember**

**Part One: No Exit to Middleton**

**Author's Comments:** I'd like to thank Scott Simerlin of the LaPorte, Indiana, Wordcrafters

writers' group, and Mark Lungo, for their comments and feedback that helped make this story

what it is.

Read on, and enjoy . . .

"I'm telling you, KP, this has got to be one of Professor Dementors's traps — or maybe,

Duff Killigan's." Ron Stoppable waved an arm at the long corridor he and Kim Possible were

walking along. "Somehow we've been zapped into a video game."

Kim shook her head. "Come on, Ron! What sort of a video game is an endless series

of rooms and corridors?"

"The Maze of Madness!" Ron shifted his voice to match that of an old-time horror-

movie star and continued, "'Once you go into it you may never come out again!'" He went

back to his normal voice. "That's on the box it comes in." Then Ron added, "Or maybe

we've stepped through a hole in space into another dimension."

Kim looked at Ron very skeptically, but the blond youth was gazing around at the walls.

However, she did manage to catch the eye of Rufus. The naked mole rat shook his head and

shrugged in a way that seemed to say, 'Oh, brother!'

Still, Kim had to admit that this was a very weird sitch that they were in. Running from

the bus stop to the entrance of the Middleton Mall they were about to be caught in a sudden

downpour of rain when they'd seen what seemed to be an old-fashioned telephone booth

standing outside a loading dock. They'd ducked into it a split second ahead of the rain, and

found themselves in an eight-sided room with white walls and a six-sided console of some

sort in the middle. And if that wasn't strange enough, there was the realization that the

room was considerably bigger than the inside of any telephone booth.

"Or, we could've been hit by lightning, and this is all a dream," Ron went on.

"If this is a dream, Ron, would we both be dreaming the same thing?" Kim gave a

sigh of annoyance.

"Ah, but if this is _my_ dream, then I'm just _dreaming_ that you and Rufus are here!" Ron

replied.

"And if _I'm_ the one who's dreaming, I'm only _dreaming_ that you're here with Rufus,

right?" Kim said, sarcastically.

"Exactly!"

At his master's comment, Rufus gave a snort of disgust.

"Well, if this is a dream of mine, I'm going to dream up a way out of here," Kim

declared. "Eventually there has to be an end to all these rooms."

As they continued along the corridor, Kim realized that it looked familiar. They had

come this way, right after they had gone through the only door they could find in that white

room, and found themselves in this maze instead of outside at the mall.

"I think we came in this way, Ron."

"I'll take your word for it." Ron shook his head. "I don't remember anything like this. It's

harder to figure than one of Drakken's lairs."

"Well, I remember this corridor," Kim replied. "That first room we were in should be

right through there." She pointed at the ordinary-looking door at the end of the corridor and

then strode toward it.

As they came closer to the door Rufus pricked up his ears and became alert. He had

obviously heard something. Just as they reached the door, Kim and Ron heard it too. A

steady humming and voices could be heard through the door, but the voices were too

indistinct to understand. Opening the door, Kim and Ron stepped back into the room Kim

remembered as the first one they'd been in. The console with the controls and instruments on

it was in the center of the room, and the old-fashioned hat-rack still stood against the wall in

one of the eight-sided room's 'corners.' However, three things in the room were different.

A soft, brown, brimmed hat was hanging on the hat-rack, the central part of the console was

moving up and down with a steady, regular motion, and there was a person in the room.

Standing beside the console and looking at them with some surprise was a tall man

with dark, tightly-curled hair. He wore a dark-reddish coat of some kind, and had a multi-

colored scarf around his neck. Kim noticed that the scarf was so long that even though it was

wound around the man's neck twice, both ends still hung down to the floor. There was also a

metal thing on the floor about the shape and size of a large dog.

"Hello," said Kim. "Could you tell us how we can get out of here? Please and thank

you," she added.

"I wouldn't want to be quoted on that subject, young lady, but I rather think that you

should use the door," the man replied in a friendly, but somewhat irritated, voice. "More to the

point, who are you?"

"This is Ron, that's Rufus, I'm Kim, and we'd like to find our way out of here."

Ron's pet waved a paw at the man and chirped, "Hello!"

The man gave each of them a careful, inquisitive look, and then sighed. "Well, to

complete the introductions, this is K-9," he pointed at the 'metal dog,' "I'm The Doctor, and

I'd like to know just why you're all here in my TARDIS."

"Okay, let's say that Kim doesn't know what a 'tar-diss' is."

At Ron's remark, Kim gave him a look of annoyance, but said nothing.

"It's an acronym, from the words 'Time And Relative Dimensions In Space." The man

spoke in a manner that reminded Kim of Mr. Barkin lecturing to a high school class. "It can

travel to any place in space, and to anywhere in time, alternatively, sequentially or

simultaneously."

"You mean that this phone booth is really a time machine?" Kim tried to keep the

skepticism out of her voice.

"Oh, it's much more than that, young lady," the Doctor continued in his 'lecturing'

mode. "A time machine can only go into the past from its starting point and return. It can't

move around from one planet to another the way a TARDIS does. Or hop down to the sweet

shop for more jelly babies when you need them," he absently added, scowling at the console

gauges for a moment.

"Jelly babies?" Kim didn't know what that meant, either, so she asked before Ron

could.

"Yes. Would you care for one?" The Doctor pulled a small brown paper bag from his

coat pocket and held it out politely. Ron looked in the bag, then reached into it and drew out

a small piece of candy. Kim frowned, then took a piece for herself, and the Doctor tucked

the bag back in a coat pocket while he observed the console closely.

"Well, if there's a door besides that one," Kim pointed over her shoulder, "could you

please show us where it is?"

"Unfortunately we're _en route_ at the moment, but as soon as we reach our destination

I'll be glad to do just that," the Doctor replied.

Ron had moved closer to the console and was gazing at the various switches, dials,

buttons and lights with his usual curiosity. He reached toward one large switch and said,

"Say, what does this one do?"

"Don't touch that!" The Doctor grabbed Ron's wrist in a rather odd way, and the boy

seemed to freeze like a statue.

"Let him go!" Kim instantly dropped into a fighting stance.

The central part of the console stopped moving and the faint humming noise also

stopped. The Doctor released Ron's hand and snapped a switch on a panel.

"There. We've landed, and I've set it on 'safe.'"

Kim had paid no heed but moved to Ron's side instead. He looked around, blinked,

and asked, "So, what does this switch do, anyway?"

"What did you do to Ron just now!" Kim's voice was still in 'mission mode,' even

though her friend and partner seemed to be all right.

"Oh, just a touch of Venusian Karate," the Doctor answered absently. "He'll be fine."

He looked directly at Ron and spoke in a stern voice.

"Now see here, you musn't touch the controls while the TARDIS is moving! You

wouldn't want us to land inside a black hole, would you?"

At the mention of a black hole, Ron flinched, and in spite of her concern, Kim grinned.

"Suppose we get back to my first question, as to why you're all here?" The Doctor gave

each of them a careful gaze. Ron seemed to be all right, so Kim began to explain.

"We were running to get inside before the rain caught us and saw what looked like an

old-time telephone booth," she began. "We ducked into it and found ourselves . . . here."

"The only door we could find was that one," Ron added, pointing behind him. "And it

doesn't lead out."

"Of course it doesn't," the Doctor replied testily. "What use would this control room be

if it only had one door, and that one just led outside? I couldn't get to the rest of the place at

all."

"There seems to be a lot of it," Kim remarked. "I mean, 'the rest of the place,'" she

added.

"Well, that's the nature of my TARDIS — lots of odds and ends: corridors, spare rooms,

closets and such." The Doctor had turned back to the console and was studying the various

dials and switches on it as he spoke. He paused a moment, and then snapped a switch with

an air of satisfaction. "Yes, this time she did it just right."

"Did what?" Ron moved closer and was looking over the console at the same time,

which is why he bumped into the 'metal dog' that was on the floor. It promply backed up a

short distance and spoke in an oddly-pleasant and somewhat mechanical voice.

"Please be careful and watch where you are stepping!"

Rufus promptly ducked back into his personal pocket in Ron's cargo pants.

"I'd really appreciate it if you did not kick K-9," the Doctor remarked absently. "He's a

good friend and very useful to me." He looked up at Ron and added, "He's also a dead shot

with a nose laser."

"Is it — alive?" Kim gazed at the 'metal dog,' and realized that two small antennae on

the top of its head were oscillating, as if they were scanning the room.

"I am not an 'it;' I am K-9," the creature — K-9, Kim mentally corrected herself — firmly

explained.

Rufus had poked his head back out of his usual pocket, looking much like a subject in

the Whack-A-Mole computer game, and was staring at K-9. He gave a squeak of amazement,

whereupon K-9 squeaked in a similar fashion. Rufus squeaked again, K-9 replied, and

within a minute they seemed to be conversing at a brisk pace. Kim noticed that Rufus pointed

at her and then at Ron as he and K-9 were 'talking' to each other. Then the metal creature

shifted back into the first voice it had used.

"Master Ronald, Mistress Kimberly, Rufus has asked me to tell you that he greatly

appreciates all that you do to keep him comfortable and well-fed," K-9 reported. "He also

would appreciate having some Gorgonzolla cheese to eat when you have the chance to

get him some, Master Ronald."

"You can talk to Rufus? And understand him?" Ron took Rufus from his pocket and

knelt beside K-9, looking first at the metal dog, then at his pet, and back at K-9.

"I am capable of all forms of sonic communication used on three hundred and

seventy-five planets. Rufus' speech is 97.4 percent equivalent to the language spoken on

Momerath."

Kim considered asking Rufus — via K-9 — a few questions, but then decided that the

sitch they were in was strange enough already. As she mentally put aside the idea, the

Doctor said, "Let's just take a look around."

He tapped a button on the console and a wall panel opened up. It showed a perfectly

clear, full-color picture of the inside of a building, and suggested a museum of some sort.

"Good! Right in the British Pavilion where nobody will notice a London police-box," he

said, in a very pleased tone of voice.

"The British Pavilion?" Kim asked. "Where is that?"

"Why, the Columbian Exposition of 1893, in Chicago, Illinois, of course," the Doctor

replied. "Where else would it be?"

"You mean we've gone to Chicago, in 1893?" Ron's question was a mixture of dismay

and surprise. "Aw, man. I hate time travel!"

The Doctor frowned at Ron. "If you don't want to travel in time you shouldn't get into

any TARDIS that you happen to find."

"Well, you shouldn't go out and leave the door unlocked!" Kim was feeling annoyed at

the way this man seemed to blame her and Ron for being here.

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "Why was the door unlocked anyway?"

"The Doctor neglected to lock it when we went out."

Kim thought that K-9 had managed to sound smug, even though his voice was the

same as it had been a moment ago.

"**Thank** you, K-9, I remember that you suggested that I lock the door." There was some

irritation in the Doctor's voice. "But we were only out for five minutes . . . "

"Correction, Master; nine minutes and thirty-six seconds."

". . . and I didn't expect two visitors to get in during the interval," the Doctor finished.

"Why did you land outside the Middleton Mall if you wanted to come to Chicago in the

first place?" Kim asked reasonably.

"An unanticipated anomaly effected the operation of the TARDIS," K-9 replied. "It

materialized unexpectedly in a strange location."

"And we went out to see just when and where she'd landed," the Doctor added. "It's all

very simple, really."

**TBC . . .**

**Author's Disclaimer and Notes:**

The Disney Company owns the Kim Possible concept and characters. The British

Broadcasting Corporation owns the Doctor Who concept. The term TARDIS is also copyright

by the BBC. The plot of this story is my responsibility.

This story takes places immediately after a specific "Doctor Who" story seen on

television, and just before the start of another one. Anyone who wants to identify these

stories or decide which Doctor is involved in my tale is free to do so.

Please leave a review if you can. All comments and criticism will be replied to.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Fair To Remember**

**Part Two: Come to the Fair!**

**Author's Comments:** In this section for chapter one I misspelled the name of Scott Simerlein

of the LaPorte, Indiana, Wordcrafters writers' group, but it is now correct. Sorry, Scott.

Now, my thanks to those who read Chapter One and offered comments, listed this tale as a

Favorite Story or put it on Story Alert: Cajun Bear73, Mahler Avatar, Muzzlehatch, Old King

Betsy, Sharp the Writer and Stormchaser 90.

Read on, people, and enjoy . . .

Kim quickly reviewed the events of the past half-hour in her mind, weighing the

wierdness of the sitch with the fact that everything the Doctor told them seemed to check out.

Finally, after considering that she and Ron had already been in situations that came close to

this one for strangeness, Kim made her decision. She glanced around at the white walls

again, and then addressed the Doctor. "Okay, so, this is a space and time machine, and its

taken us to Chicago in 1893." She looked closely at K-9. "Did you build all of this yourself,

Doctor?"

"Oh, I didn't build the TARDIS. All Time Lords can have access to one, if they need it."

The Doctor patted K-9 on the head as he went on. "But this is K-9 Mark Two. I put him

together after K-9 Mark One decided to stay with Leela on Gallifrey, my home planet." As an

afterthought he added, "I got K-9 Mark One from Professor Marius on Asteroid K4067 in about

5000 AD."

Kim and Ron exchanged puzzled looks. "You mean you come from another planet, _and_

a different time?" Kim didn't even try to avoid sounding skeptical this time.

"Certainly. Here, I can prove it. Just listen to my heart beats," the Doctor replied,

pulling a stethoscope from one pocket and holding it out to Kim. "You know how to use one

of these, don't you?"

Kim nodded. "I can use it." As she took the stethoscope and fitted it to her ears, Ron

looked up from where he knelt beside K-9.

"Hey, dude, check her name! She's Kim Possible, and she can do _anything_."

Kim paid no attention to Ron's comment and held the stethoscope to the Doctor's

chest. She blinked, moved the disc around, listened closely, and then stepped back.

"You've got a double heartbeat . . . do you have two hearts?"

"Of course. One for everyday use, and a second for parties." He grinned broadly,

as if this was a private joke he had used before.

"Well, that's settled. Now let's take a stroll around the fair. We can see the sights and

have a bit of a holiday; then I'll take you back to your home."

"Well . . . " Kim hesitated. "If we're gone all day, our parents might worry. I know that

Daddy will," she added to Ron.

"Oh, no problem there, Kimberly. The TARDIS will get you back to Middleton,

Colorado, only ten minutes after you left it." At Kim and Ron's dubious expressions the

Doctor added, "Or would you prefer five minutes instead? I shouldn't like to cut it any closer

than that; we might meet up with ourselves, you see."

Ron looked at K-9 and asked, "Can he really do that?"

"Affirmative. The TARDIS can travel to any place in the universe and to any moment in

time."

"The Columbian Exposition was the largest and most impressive world's fair to be held

on Earth until the Planetary Exposition of 2069," the Doctor remarked. "I've read up on it, but

never actually paid a visit before."

"Let's take a look, KP," Ron pleaded. "Maybe they have a taco stand here."

Kim grinned. "All right, let's see what it's like. So long as we get home in time," she

added, giving the Doctor a stern look.

"Fine. But I think you'd better have something else to wear," the Doctor observed,

as he gave the two young folks a criticial look.

"What's wrong with our clothes?" There was a note of annoyance in Kim's voice.

"Young women of 1893 simply did not wear slacks and a cut-off top in public," the

Doctor explained. "You both need to look a bit more . . . formal. There should be something

in Sarah Jane's room that you can wear, Kimberly, and as for Ronald . . . yes, yes, I've

something that should fit him, too." He went to the inner door and opened it.

"Come along, I'll show you where they are."

Kim and Ron looked at each other. Ron rose to his feet, Kim shrugged, and the two of

them followed the Doctor out of the room as he called back, "Keep an eye on things, won't

you, K-9? There's a good dog."

"Affirmative, Master." K-9 turned to look at Rufus, whom Ron had absently placed on

the console. He then squeaked, Rufus answered, and the two began a lengthy conversation.

The Doctor showed Kim to a room that he said a young lady named Sarah Jane Smith

had used for some time, adding that she had returned to her home near London. "But there's

plenty of things to choose from, Kimberly. Just check the costume guide on this screen and

see what's on hand for the 1890s in America. The TARDIS's wardrobe facilities cover all of

time, space and fashion sense, so I'm sure you'll find something suitable," he concluded, and

then left to get Ron properly fitted out. Kim soon found a white blouse, and a long grey skirt

with a matching jacket that both fit her and looked appropriate. But it all seemed to be a lot

of clothes, compared to Middleton styles at the start of the 21st century!

When she returned to the control room Kim found a chessboard set up on the floor,

with Rufus and K-9 on one side and the Doctor on the other. Ron's pet was walking around

the board, studying the location of each piece, until he stopped and squeaked to K-9.

"Bishop to Knight's five and check, Master," K-9 translated. The Doctor moved one

piece as K-9 had directed, and then gazed at the board critically. Looking up for a moment he

saw Kim.

"This is a bit unusual, Kimberly," the Doctor remarked. "I seem to be losing to a naked

mole rat."

Kim hid a smile, and only observed that Rufus was very smart. Then the door opened

again, and Ron came in.

"Well, Ronald, you look quite dapper," the Doctor said as he rose to his feet, chess

game forgotten. "Wouldn't you say so, Kimberly?"

Kim eyed the matching trousers, jacket and vest Ron wore, along with a white shirt and

tie, all topped by a derby hat. "Is that what people wore to a fair back then?" she asked.

"Oh, young men going to the Columbian Exposition would be in their best! It was a very

important occasion, you know. But here, Kimberly, you need a hat, too," the Doctor handed

Kim a flat-brimmed straw hat. "Try this on. And then you'll need . . . this!"

Kim thought the hat looked rather stylish, but she was appalled when the Doctor gave

her a lady's parasoll. Walk around carrying _that_? Then she noticed Ron's face, and heard a

suspiciously humorous squeak from Rufus. She gave each of them a look that clearly said:

_one laugh and it's sixteen kinds of Kung-Fu for you!_

"K-9, I want you to stay here and see that no strangers come in and start poking

about," said the Doctor.

"Affirmative, Master. Can Rufus also remain? I find his accounts of Mistress Kimberly's

and Master Ronald's adventures quite interesting." Rufus gave a chirp-squeak that Kim knew

meant 'Yes, please!' and he looked hopefully at Ron.

"Okay little buddy." Ron knelt and held out his right index finger, which Rufus clasped

in his front paws.

"Stay safe, now." Teenage boy and naked mole rat solemnly 'shook' on it.

"Now, let's have a look outside, shall we?" The Doctor took the broad-brimmed hat

from the hatrack, clapped it on his head and pushed a control on the console. Nothing

happened.

"Won't people think your clothes are a little strange?" Kim pointedly inquired.

"Oh, I'll just be your eccentric uncle from Canada who's treating you to a day at the

fair," he remarked absently. "Now, what did I do the last time the door was stuck . . . ? Oh,

yes!" He brought his fist down firmly on the console with a thump, and two of the wall panels

behind the Doctor smoothly swung open.

Nobody seemed to notice them when they stepped out of the TARDIS, so the Doctor

led the way as they walked through the exhibit building and out onto the fair grounds. The

various buildings seemed to stretch to the horizon, and when Kim and Ron turned around they

saw the surface of Lake Michigan to the north, east and south. An odd-looking steamship was

coming down from the north, and sailboats were everywhere.

"Now, if you're hungry there are several restaurants in this part of the grounds," the

Doctor remarked. "That long building over there is the New England Clambake. The Polish

café, the Swedish restaurant and the Japanese tea house are that way." He pointed directly

west.

"No taco stands?" Ron's voice had a plaintive tone.

"I don't believe so."

"I'm not hungry just now," Kim said, nudging Ron at the same time. "Why not look

around a bit. Maybe we'll spot a good place for lunch along the way, Ron."

With a slight sigh for his favorite food, Ron agreed.

"Very good. Let's walk over to the Intramural Railway and ride it to the Midway

Plaisance." The Doctor strode off while Kim and Ron quickly followed.

"After all, one of the great sights of this fair is on the Midway," the Doctor remarked.

"It's actually the main reason I wanted to come here."

"Oh? What is it?" Ron asked.

"The Ferris Wheel, of course. I'll treat you to a ride on it."

"Wait a minute! You've come all this way, just to . . . ride a ferris wheel?" Kim gave the

Doctor a puzzled look. "Isn't that a bit, well, childish?"

"What's the use in growing up if you can't be childish now and then? Besides, it's not

just _a_ ferris wheel, Kimberly. It's _the_ Ferris Wheel!" the Doctor replied. "The brainchild of

George W. Ferris, it's the very first, and the very biggest one to be built. Until 2069, of

course," he added in an off-hand manner. "An amazing technical achievement for a man only

34 years old. It was meant to rival the Eifel Tower of 1889." Stopping his brisk pace and

turning to face the two teens, the Doctor went on, "Once you've seen it, I think you'll agree that

it's definitely something worth visiting."

Turning to the left the Doctor led the way toward a bridge over a narrow canal that ran

into the exposition grounds from the lake. As they crossed the bridge the Doctor pointed to

what looked like a warship moored at a pier jutting out into the lake. "Now, that's the American

Navy exhibit. It's called the _U.S.S. Illinois_," he remarked.

"Is it a battleship?" Kim asked, thoughtfully. "If my American History textbook is right,

the United States and Canada have a treaty that says 'No warships on the Great Lakes.'"

"True," the Doctor replied. "But that isn't really a ship. It's just a brick foundation on the

lake bottom with an above-water superstructure that duplicates a class of three battleships

now being built for the American navy."

"What's that one, Doctor?" Kim continued, pointing at a small, one-masted sailing

vessel that was closer to the path they were on. "It looks like a Viking longship."

"That's just what it is, in a way," he answered. "It's an exact replica of the original

Gokstad Ship that was found in a burial mound. This one was built in Norway and then sailed

across the Atlantic to be part of the Norwegian exhibit here." He grinned at them. "After all,

Leif Ericson got to North America over four hundred years before Columbus." With a

thoughtful nod, he added, "Believe me, I know."

"You said that as if you'd seen it happen," said Kim, suspiciously.

"Why, yes." The Doctor smiled broadly. "I did, didn't I?"

When they reached what the Doctor called the 'Intramural Railway,' Kim had started

to buy her own ticket, but the Doctor beat her to it. He pulled out a couple of bills and quickly

bought three tickets, a guide book and a map of the fair, waving Kim's protest aside as he

did so.

"No, no, my dear Kimberly, this is my treat! Just humor your old Canadian Uncle, won't

you?" He winked at the two teens, and Kim accepted her ticket.

After they had boarded the elevated electric train, the Doctor smoothly passed Kim and

Ron each a leather pouch that he said had some money for anything they wished to buy.

"Your own money wouldn't be any good here, you know."

Kim had noticed that the bills the Doctor had used seemed to be larger than the paper

money she was used to. Then she remembered that any coins she had would have dates

on them almost a hundred years later than 1893. The faces on the coins would be different,

too. _Better to accept the Doctor's courtesy_, she decided.

Checking the guidebook from time to time the Doctor pointed out various buildings as

the train rolled north, turned west and then south around the edge of the fairgrounds. In

between his comments, he mentioned that prices here would seem very low to Kim and Ron,

but for people of 1893 the fair was not inexpensive.

"And be alert for pickpockets and thieves," he warned. "An event like this tends to

draw them out of the ground like spring flowers."

"Don't they have a police force here?" Ron asked.

"Oh, certainly. But they can't be everywhere, you know," the Doctor replied. He

glanced up from the guidebook and pointed out the window. "Ah, there's the Colorado

building! And the next one, in the Spanish Mission style, that's the California building."

Kim was impressed by the way the Doctor played the role of 'Uncle showing the fair to

his niece and her friend.' At the same time she found the sights amazing. The fair seemed

to be a small city of clean, white buildings and colorful pavilions, while the people on the

train were just as real and human as anyone she and Ron had ever met.

They got off at the next stop and headed west down a broad walkway, and under a

viaduct just as a train was passing. Coming out on the other side the Doctor stopped and

gazed ahead.

"Here it is, Kimberly, Ronald. The Midway Plaisance! A collection of people and places

from all over the world, to entertain and enlighten. South Seas islanders and Bedouins, a

Chinese theatre and the Hagenbeck Animal Show." He winked at Kim. "For over ninety

percent of the people who come here, this is their first look at sights from around the world that

they'd never see, otherwise." He gave a 'take-it-all-in' gesture. "The living world has come to

Chicago, so that Americans can see the world without spending years traveling around it."

"Wow . . . badical," Ron breathed.

In spite of all the places she and Ron had been, Kim found that she was impressed.

The stream of people going and coming would have easily crowded the Middleton Mall. In the

distance they could see a large observation balloon in the air, riding to a cable that tethered it.

Somewhat closer was the Ferris Wheel, at what Kim judged was almost a half-mile from

where they stood.

The Doctor pulled out the guidebook again and opened it. "Now, what shall we see

first . . . ?"

Kim, Ron and the Doctor strolled along the Midway Plaisance, taking in sights and

visiting exhibits. They ate lunch at a restaurant beside the Moorish Palace and then visited a

diorama of the destruction of Pompeii. Even though it was done without computer control,

lasers and a high-tech sound system, Kim and Ron were both impressed at how realistic it

was, but as they left the diorama the Doctor shook his head.

"Oh, it's a good job, very spectacular," he remarked. "But not entirely accurate." He

shook his head again. "They really should have consulted someone who saw it happen."

"You mean that you . . . " Kim began and then stopped. "Never mind, Doctor. I'm not

sure that I want to know."

"Now, let's try the Ferris Wheel." The Doctor pointed directly ahead of them, where the

great wheel was slowly rotating in a manner that could only be called 'majestic.' "After that

we'll take a walk down Cairo Street," he went on. "There should be something interesting

going on there. Of course the theatre there will probably be busy, and the same for the

Algerian Theatre."

At Kim's quizzical look the Doctor explained.

"They have dancers performing Middle Eastern dances in both places." They began

walking toward the Ferris Wheel as he went on. "It's generally known as the _danse du ventre_,

which a local newspaper translated as 'belly dance.'"

The Doctor flashed his broad grin at Kim and Ron. "Dances of that sort had never been

performed in America before, so the patrons came flocking in droves."

"You mean they were the first belly-dancers in America?"

"Don't even_ think _about it, Ron!" Kim growled.

"Kimberly," the Doctor said softly, "In your day, dancers in the shows in Las Vegas wear

far less than Little Egypt does."

"Have you ever seen this 'Little Egypt,' Doctor?" she asked.

"No. I've done a bit of research, 'swatted up the books' and so on, but I've never been

here before." He frowned in annoyance. "I tried to, once, but my plans were unexpectedly

upset. Drat those Daleks!" he muttered. "They're even worse than the Cybermen."

Kim gave the Doctor a skeptical look. "Well, what about Las Vegas showgirls?"

"Oh, I stopped off there in May, 1975, and took in a show called 'Vive Paris Vive' at

the Aladdin Casino," he remarked absently.

Just then a woman's scream split the air, and someone shouted, "Stop, thief! Catch

that man!"

**TBC . . .**

**Author's Disclaimer and Notes:**

The Disney Company owns the Kim Possible concept and characters. The British

Broadcasting Corporation owns the Doctor Who concept. The term TARDIS is also

copyright by the BBC. The plot of this story is my responsibility.

The Columbian Exposition of 1893, aka The Chicago World's Fair, was the first such world

exposition to have a dedicated amusement area. It ran due west from the main fair grounds,

and since it was much like a circus midway it was named the Midway Plaisance. The Midway

Plaisance is now a boulevard in Chicago that follows the course of the original Plaisance,

which is why the Chicago Bears are known as "The Monsters of the Midway."

The descriptions and locations in this story of buildings and exhibits at the 1893 World's Fair

are as accurate as possible.

The _USS Illinois_ did exist at the Chicago World's Fair. Since the first United States warships

to be called battleships (the _USS Maine_ and the _USS Texas_) were completed in 1895, the

Navy exhibit at the 1893 Columbian Exposition is sometimes refered to as "The first battleship

in the modern U. S. Navy."

Please leave a review if you can. All comments and criticism will be replied to.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Fair To Remember**

**Part Three: Big Wheel Keeps On Turnin' **

**Author's Comments:** My thanks to those who read Chapter Two and offered comments,

listed this tale as a Favorite Story or put it on Story Alert: Cajun Bear73, Jimmy 1281,

Joe Stoppingham, Scott Simerlein, Stormchaser 90 and Anonymous.

Read on, people, and enjoy . . .

Ahead and to the left a man clutching a lady's purse was running full-tilt toward them,

weaving through the crowd like a broken-field runner. Kim promptly snapped into her 'mission

mode' and moved to intercept the man. She dropped into a crouch and lunged at the runner

with her parasol.

The thief practically impaled himself on the parasol, and the breath went out of him in a

combined gasp and scream. He doubled over and dropped to his knees while Kim pulled

clear of him. The Doctor stepped forward, and sharply tapped the man's shoulder with two

fingers. The thief promptly went limp and collapsed in an untidy heap.

"You okay there, KP?" Ron glanced at the thief as he spoke, but the man was

obviously no further threat to anyone. Moments later two uniformed men, followed by a

neatly-dressed couple and two young boys, came running up to them.

"Ah, the Columbian Guard, I believe? Good to see you, gentlemen." The Doctor

gestured at the unconscious thief. "This chap was in so much of a hurry he forgot to return

that lady's purse, so we relieved him of the task."

"I think this is yours, ma'am." Kim picked up the purse and held it out to the woman,

who gasped in relief. The man who was with her glared down at the thief.

"That crook snatched Maud's purse right out of her hands! Thank you for stopping

him, sir." He held out his hand to the Doctor, who gravely shook it.

"Fellow had no manners at all," the Doctor replied, conversationally. "He rudely

knocked my niece Kimberly down, but fortunately he tripped on her parasol, and I was

able to subdue him. I'm glad we could be of service, sir."

Annoyed at the way the Doctor seemed to be taking the credit, Ron was about object

when Kim nudged him firmly and gave a brief shake of her head. With a vexed expression

on his face, Ron subsided.

"Thanks for nabbin' 'im, mister," one of the guards said. "We'll see this one don't

snatch any more purses for a couple o' months." The two guards jerked the groggy thief to

his feet, saluted the Doctor and the couple, and frogmarched their prisoner away.

"Miss, I believe that your parasol was damaged in the collision," the man remarked.

Kim picked up the parasol, and they could all see that the wooden shaft was badly

cracked, and had a definite bend in it.

"It looks totaled to me, Kim," Ron observed.

"Frank, we must compensate this young lady," said the woman. She opened her purse

and dug into it. "I believe this will help to replace it." The woman handed Kim two large, silver

coins.

"Oh, really, I couldn't . . . "

"No arguments, now!" The woman smiled. "Your parasol was wrecked in saving my

purse, and I insist on helping you replace it."

Kim smiled in return and said, "All right, and thank you very much."

"Well, perhaps I should complete the introductions," said the Doctor. "You are Frank

and Maud, I believe? This is Kimberly, my niece, and her good friend Ronald. I'm generally

referred to as 'The Doctor.' I'm not a physician," he added. "It's for the physical sciences."

"We're glad to make your acquantaince," said Frank, with a pleasant smile. "These two

fellows are our sons, Frank Joslyn, and Robert." He indicated the two boys, who appeared to

Kim to be about ten and eight years old, respectively.

"We were about to take a ride on the Ferris Wheel." The Doctor waved at the gigantic

collection of girders that was slowly rotating above the Midway. "Would you care to join us?"

"I think Maud just gave your niece the money set aside for our tickets," Frank replied,

with a twinkle in his eye. Kim noticed that when he smiled the man seemed to grow younger

for a moment. He was neatly dressed, much as Ron was, but the man had a fine mustache

that looked right at home on his handsome face.

"Oh, that's no problem," said the Doctor. "This lad of yours has money coming out of

his ears. Look here!" He reached over to Robert's head and seemed to pull a small coin out

of the boy's left ear. His older brother gave a whistle of amazement.

"Is there one in my ear, too?"

"Well, now, let's see . . . " The Doctor checked the boy's right ear, shook his head, then

tried the left ear. "Nothing there . . . Ah! Here it is!" He seemed to pull another coin from

Frank Josyln's nose.

As the wide-eyed boys looked at the coins they now held, the lady laughed softly and

shook her head. "How do you do that, Doctor?"

"It's very simple, Madam; I was trained by Maskelyne." The Doctor smiled at the couple

and their two sons. "A wonderful wizard of mystical magic and breath-taking illusions." He

leaned down and spoke to the two boys in a confidential tone.

"You know, he can make a lady rise up from the stage and float through the air! I saw

him do it at the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly."

"Frank, he sounds like you!" the lady laughed. She turned to the Doctor and explained,

"Frank's always thinking up stories to tell the boys." As they all headed toward the Ferris

Wheel, she added, "Not only our four sons, but all their neighborhood friends as well."

"Four children?" Kim asked, glancing around. "Are the others here, too?"

"No," Maud answered. "Harry and Kenneth are a bit too young for a whole day at the

fair. We left them at home, and my mother is keeping an eye on them."

A short walk brought them to the base of the great wheel, where the Doctor bought

tickets for them all. There was a brief wait in line, but in a few minutes they boarded one of

the thirty-six cars. The floor of the car was covered by a red carpet decorated with green and

pink roses, and a double row of tufted plush seats ran down the center. Glass-shaded electric

lights encircled the ceiling, while polished brass handrails were mounted below the windows.

To Kim it seemed to be a room in a wealthy lady's mansion, instead of a car on a ferris wheel.

A uniformed guard ushered the passengers in, closed and locked the door, and

signaled that his car was ready. The great wheel began turning, but after rising about one-

third of the way up the car stopped.

"Is something wrong?" Ron asked, nervously.

"Not a bit, sir," said Frank. "Every one-sixth of a turn it stops to change passengers in

some of the cars, that's all. Once all the cars are loaded it makes a full circle without stopping.

I read an article about this great wheel, and it gave a number of details on its operation," he

explained.

Ron nodded his thanks and turned to talk to the two boys, who wanted to know where

he came from. While they conversed, Maud asked Kim if she was enjoying the fair.

"It's really something to see," Kim answered. "I think people will talk about it for a long

time after it's over."

"Yes, there will be other fairs and expositions," the Doctor remarked, "but this one sets

the standard." He flashed his broad grin. "And it's right here in the middle of the country, easy

to reach, visit and enjoy."

As the car rose the view became more spectacular with every foot of height they

gained. Carefully consulting the guide book, the Doctor pointed out buildings and mentioned

details in a way that kept everyone listening closely. When they reached the top he gave a

broad wave to the east where the main exposition grounds lay.

"Just look at it! Three years ago it was nothing but marsh and swamp land, and now

there's an entire city there, gleaming in the sun."

Ron shaded his eyes. "Yeah, but with the sun on all those white buildings it's a little

hard to look at. We should've brought sunglasses, Doc."

"Oh, I forgot. Here." The Doctor reached into an inside coat pocket and brought out

several metal-framed sunglasses with green-tinted lenses. As he passed them out , Kim

briefly wondered how the Doctor had 'just happened' to have seven pairs of sun glasses in

his pocket.

Frank gazed at the white buildings in the distance and then remarked, "These make

those buildings appear as if they were made of green marble and decorated with emeralds."

Kim was about to agree when Ron chuckled.

"Say, Kim, these make you look something like Shego."

"What?" She frowned for a moment, and then realized that viewed through the glasses

her skin would appear green.

"You know someone who has green skin, my dear?" Maud asked.

"Yes . . . her skin color was changed in an accident," Kim carefully replied. "It doesn't

hurt her, and everyone she knows is used to it."

"It sure makes you notice her, though," Ron remarked to the two boys.

"A city where everybody wears green glasses, so the buildings look like emeralds and

the people seem to have green skin . . . now that sounds like something for a story," Frank

observed, as the wheel continued rotating and the car they were in began to descend.

"I can think of another one," said Kim. At the quizzical looks from the others, she

explained. "Just think how America has changed over the last hundred years, and imagine

what it will be like in another hundred."

"Yes, I think we may have a woman as President by then," Maud replied with a smile.

"It wouldn't surprise me if we did." Frank winked as he spoke to his two sons. "What

do you think, boys; how about Grandmother Gage as President of the United States, eh?"

"Could we visit her in the White House?" Frank Joslyn asked eagerly.

"Oh, she'd have us as guests!" Frank laughed. "You could sleep in a fine, big bed, and

a butler would bring your breakfast in on a tray. And I'm sure that Grandma would let you

slide down the longest banister in the place . . . "

As her husband spun out his description for his sons, Maud chuckled softly and spoke

to Kim and Ron. "You see what I mean? Frank just loves to create stories to amuse children."

"Is that what he does for a living?" As she asked her question, Kim noticed that the

Doctor was listening with the two boys, and offering a comment every so often.

"No," Maud answered, "he's a travelling salesman for Pitkin and Brooks, who deal in

fine china and glassware." She gave a sigh. "Frank's on the road a lot, but it's wonderful

when he's home, between trips. Still, I know he has a desire to write, too."

Kim nodded. "If he can write as well as he tells a story," she said softly to Maud, "he

might write a book that would be a best-seller."

As soon as she said it, Kim realized that she'd made a slip, for Maud looked slightly

puzzled.

"A 'best-seller?' What do you mean?" the woman asked.

"Oh, a really popular book that everybody wants to buy," Kim replied. "I've heard 'my

uncle,'" she pointed at the Doctor, "say that once or twice."

Maud nodded in understanding.

Just then the wheel came to a stop again. The guard unlocked the door on the far end

of the car and called out in a firm, pleasant voice, "All out, please. Those wishing another ride

will please purchase tickets at the ticket booth."

After leaving the Ferris Wheel, Frank and Maud thanked the Doctor both for saving

Maud's purse and for treating the family to the Ferris Wheel. Frank shook hands with the

Doctor and Ron, tipped his hat to Kim, and the family went on their way. As soon as Kim, Ron

and the Doctor were in a place where they could talk privately, Ron voiced a complaint he'd

been considering for some time.

"Say, Doc, why didn't you tell those people that it was Kim who stopped that crook?"

"Come on, Ron, the guy was caught, the lady got her purse back, and that's what

matters," Kim remarked. "It's no big."

"We know who stopped him, Ronald," the Doctor explained. "But in 1893 young ladies

aren't expected to be as athletic and effective at crime-fighting as Kimberly is." He gave Kim

a speculative look. "Your speed and agility is most impressive, young lady."

Kim shrugged, and grinned sheepishly. "Well . . . it's what I do, Doctor."

"And may I say that you do it very well," the Doctor replied. "I think that you and Leela

would get along nicely. But now, let's take a look at Cairo Street. It's been several years since

I was in nineteenth-century Egypt," he added, as they started off. "My Arabic will get rusty if I

don't use it more often."

**TBC . . .**

**Author's Disclaimer and Notes:**

The Disney Company owns the Kim Possible concept and characters.

The British Broadcasting Corporation owns the Doctor Who concept.

The term TARDIS is also copyright by the BBC.

The plot of this story is my responsibility.

John Nevil Maskelyne (December 1839 - May 1917) is one of those 19th-century Englishmen who seem to have been capable of doing many things successfully. He wrote a book on gambling in 1894 that was the first really detailed revelation of how card sharps cheated. He and a close friend, George Alfred Cooke, became professional magicians and together created many stage illusions that are still used today. And from 1873 to 1904 Maskelyne and Cooke were the permanent show at the Egyptian Hall, a theatre in Piccadilly, London.

The Ferris Wheel at the Chicago World's Fair was the first of its kind, and the largest ever built (so far). The wheel itself was 250 feet in diameter, and the top edge stood 264 feet high. A ride cost fifty cents and lasted for twenty minutes.

The descriptions and locations in this story of buildings and exhibits at the 1893 World's Fair are as accurate as possible.

Please leave a review if you can. All comments and criticism will be replied to.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Fair To Remember**

**Part Four: Name That Tune**

**Author's Comments:** My thanks to those who read Chapter Three and offered comments, listed this tale as a Favorite Story or put it on Story Alert: Cajun Bear73, Joe Stoppingham and Stormchaser 90.

Read on, people, and enjoy . . .

Kim and Ron had visited Egypt on a couple of missions, but as they walked down the

Street in Cairo section of the Midway Plaisance, they were impressed by the variety of things

going on around them. There were shops selling jewelry, brasswork, cloth and perfumes.

Some men were leading donkeys or camels carrying fair visitors along the street, while

others seemed to be bargaining with each other over something one was trying to sell to

another.

"It sort of looks like a scene in that movie we saw on the Classic Films Channel," Ron

mused aloud. "Remember that one, KP?"

"You mean _Casablanca_, Ron. The one with Humphrey Bogart in it."

"Yeah, and that Nazi Colonel who got shot at the end of it," Ron replied.

"Ah, yes. 'Major Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects.' A splendid

piece of work," the Doctor observed. "When that line was spoken at the premiere showing

in 1942 the reaction of the audience was rather enthusiastic."

There was a sudden peal of music and a swirl of movement in the crowd, and a

procession came into the street behind them. It was led by three camels, each with a

drummer on its back. They were followed by a fourth camel carrying a young woman seated

under a canopy, which the Doctor told them was called a 'howdah.' Following the camels was

a group of people walking in a hollow square formation. The procession moved on past Kim,

Ron and the Doctor, while the many local visitors to the fair turned to watch, and, in some

cases, follow, the small parade. The Doctor explained that it was a recreation of a Middle East

wedding procession.

"Is this what a princess would have on her wedding day?" Kim asked the Doctor.

"No, it's more of what a well-to-do person would have. Royal affairs would be much

more elaborate," he replied.

The wedding procession continued along Cairo Street with most of the visitors

to the fair following them. As the crowd around them thinned out, Ron noticed two

dark-skinned men who seemed to be discussing the parade in their own language. As he

wondered to himself what they were saying, the Doctor spoke softly to the two teens.

"Now, you'd think those two were talking about the procession, wouldn't you?" There

was a hint of laughter in his voice. "Actually, they're discussing a friend of theirs back in

Egypt."

"Are they Egyptians, Doc?"

"No, Ronald, they're Sudanese; I can tell by their accents."

"What are they saying?" Kim asked.

"I'd rather not be specific, but it sounds as if their friend has trouble with his marriage,"

the Doctor carefully replied.

Kim blushed slightly and then turned her attention toward a small shop selling various

items made of brass. Asking Ron and the Doctor to wait a minute, she popped into the shop

to see if she could find a birthday present for her father.

Ten minutes later Kim emerged from the shop with a small package that she then

tucked in a pocket, and explained that she had found something she was sure was 'just right

for Daddy.'

As they continued along the street, Kim was humming to herself, and then she

remarked, "All of this must be amazing to the people who come here, Ron. The only other

way they have to know about this sort of thing is to read about it."

"Yeah. No movies, no TV and no video games," Ron replied.

"That's true. For most visitors to Cairo Street it's as if _The Thousand Nights and a Night_

had come to life," the Doctor observed. "By the way, Kimberly, that tune you were humming

just now. Where did you hear it?"

"Why, a man in that place was whistling it," she answered, and pointed back at the

shop she'd just left.

"Interesting. Can you point him out?" The Doctor's mood seemed to have suddenly

become serious.

"Sure; he was dressed like Sherlock Holmes . . . There he is!" Kim pointed to a stocky

man wearing an Inverness coat and a deerstalker cap. He was just coming out of the brass-

seller's shop, holding a small parcel wrapped in brown paper.

"I think we should follow him." As the man started down the street, the Doctor strode

off with Kim and Ron close behind.

"What's wrong, Doc?" Ron asked, and Kim echoed him.

"What's the sitch?"

"The 'sitch,' to use your term, Kimberly, is the fact that the tune you heard him whistle is

called _In a Persian Market_." The Doctor kept his eyes focused on the stranger, who seemed

to be heading somewhere with a goal in mind. "That piece of music was composed by Albert

William Ketèlbey in 1920. Over twenty-five years hence," he added thoughtfully.

At the Doctor's words Kim's gaze locked on to the man they were following. Whistling

music over twenty-five years before it was written? That immediately brought her to full

'mission mode' alert.

"Maybe he's a time-traveller, like you," Ron remarked.

"Perhaps. But there's still the question of why he is here."

Ahead of them the man stopped at a ticket booth in front of a building, bought a ticket,

and disappeared through a doorway into the building.

The Doctor pulled out some coins, paid for three tickets, and they went inside after their

quarry.

"Where are we, KP?" Ron asked, as they paused to let their eyes adjust to the

dimness in the building.

"A theatre, I think," she replied. "Say, Doctor, is this . . . "

"Yes, Kimberly, this is the Egyptian Theatre. Ah, there's our man: aisle seat in the

seventh row on the other side." Just then the lights dimmed in the seating area, a band struck

up some music and the curtain swept open. "And, yes, that dancer on the stage is probably

Little Egypt."

Kim gazed at the dancer with growing puzzlement. Little Egypt's costume would hardly

be called 'revealing' by early 21st-century standards. Her arms were bare, and her top had a

low dipping neckline, but the full skirt was ankle-length, and all of the cloth was completely

opaque. It wasn't skin-tight, either. Yes, the dancer's midriff was bare, but Kim decided that

she showed more bare skin in her cheerleader's outfit than Little Egypt did on the stage.

While it was energetic, the dance wasn't provocative, Kim decided. _It must be that people in_

_1893 just haven't seen anything like it before_, she thought.

"Come along, Kimberly, Ronald. We need to get closer to that fellow."

At the Doctor's words, Kim brought her mind back to the matter at hand, nudged her

partner and whispered, "Come on, Ron."

"Huh? Oh! Right behind you, KP." Ron's expression showed as much bewilderment

as she felt, Kim decided, as they followed the Doctor around the back of the seating area.

Whoever the stranger was, he seemed to be in no rush to leave. He stayed in his seat

until Little Egypt finished her dance, and the audience applauded and cheered. Then the man

looked at his watch, got up from his seat and walked toward the exit. As he left, the

Doctor, Kim and Ron followed their quarry as he walked out of Cairo Street and back onto

the Midway. Then he turned east and headed back toward the main fairgrounds.

"Did you notice what he did just before he got up from his seat?" the Doctor asked, as

they carefully followed the deerstalker-wearing man.

"I think he looked at his watch," Kim answered.

"Maybe he's got a date, and he doesn't want to be late for it," Ron remarked brightly.

"He looked at his wrist watch, and it's rather remarkable that he should have one," the

Doctor replied thoughtfully. "The wrist watch will not become widely used until the World War

One period; in 1893 men carry pocket watches, instead." He briefly glanced at Kim.

"Somewhat strange, wouldn't you say?"

They followed the strange man as he strode along the Midway like a person who was

going somewhere and was determined to get there promptly. Once he reached the fair-

grounds he went up the steps to the station of the Intramural Railway and bought a ticket.

Kim, Ron and the Doctor followed along in the crowd of fairgoers, always keeping their subject

in sight, but never getting too close to him.

When the next train pulled in they boarded the same car as the man did. The train

rolled south along the western edge of the fairgrounds. It stopped once but their target didn't

get off, and they remained on board as the train rolled on.

"Is he going to ride around the whole fairgrounds?" Ron muttered to Kim. She gave a

small shrug. They both had experience at shadowing someone and managed to avoid staring

at the man while still keeping track of him.

At the next station, their subject got off. As they followed him the Doctor began

commenting again as though he was showing them around the fair.

"That's the Transportation Building. Impressive, isn't it? Designed by the firm of Adler

and Sullivan. It's nine hundred and sixty feet by two hundred and fifty feet, with every type of

vehicle you can imagine on display." The Doctor lowered his voice and added, "But no

aircraft, of course. Hmmm, it seems like he's going in."

The man they were following paid no attention to any of the exhibits inside the

Transportation Building. Instead he walked toward a section where there was a large

assortment of American railroad equipment, including engines, signals and cars. As they

were passing a locomotive and tender with a complete train of cars, Kim suddenly realized

that Ron had stopped to stare at the engine. She turned back to him, and saw a look of

amazement and admiration on his face.

"Kim, this- this locomotive. It's the original '999!'" Ron spoke with the hushed voice of

someone who was awe-struck. "The first engine to go a hundred miles an hour!" He swung

his gaze over the locomotive as if he was sizing up a giant-sized taco. "It's a four-four-oh

. . . made it's record run on May 9, 1893 . . . pulled the Empire State Express for the New

York Central . . . "

Kim ran a careful glance over the engine. It had the number '999' on the side of the

cab, and the letters 'N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R.' along the top edge of the sides of the tender. All

the black-painted surfaces were clean and the surface of any exposed metal was burnished

bright.

Kim gave a sigh. She knew that Ron's interest in railroading and steam engines was

second only to his fascination with video games such as Zombie Mayhem. If a video game

with a railroading theme were to appear on the market, she had no doubt that he'd be the very

first person to buy a copy of it. While she hated to disturb him, just now there was a mission

at hand.

"Focus, Ron!" Kim whispered sternly, and her partner turned away from the big

locomotive with a regretful sigh. They hurried after the Doctor and quickly caught up to him.

The man they were following walked to a secluded corner of the building where a

replica of a railroad toolshed stood. He stopped at the door of the shed, turned around

quickly and stepped forward to face them.

"Now, what's all this? 'Ere yuh've been followin' me half-way round the fair, an' I'd like

ta know why!" He spoke with an English accent, but not a very cultured one, Kim noted.

As he spoke the man looked carefully at Kim and then Ron, but when he gazed at the

Doctor he hesitated, looked closer, and then laughed happily.

"Theet! It's you all right, innit? Why, it's been five years since that business on Atrios!

How ya been, boy?"

**TBC . . .**

**Author's Disclaimer and Notes:**

The Disney Company owns the Kim Possible concept and characters.

The British Broadcasting Corporation owns the Doctor Who concept.

The term TARDIS is also copyright by the BBC.

The plot of this story is my responsibility.

Albert William Ketèlbey (August 1875 - November 1959) was an English composer who became best known for his light orchestral music. His "In A Persian Market" is likely to be played whenever background music for an Arabian nights-type story is filmed, although he wrote many other works. Among these are "In A Monastery Garden" (1915), "In A Chinese Temple Garden" (1923) and "In The Mystic Land Of Egypt" (1931).

Locomotive number '999' was built for the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. For many years the '999' was recorded as being the first locomotive to exceed one hundred MPH, although this is now believed to be incorrect. It is now displayed in the Museim of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois, which is housed in the former Fine Arts Building of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. This building was the only really permanent building at the Fair, and it was overhauled and refitted to become a science museum in the 1930s.

The descriptions and locations in this story of buildings and exhibits at the 1893 World's Fair are as accurate as possible.

Please leave a review if you can. All comments and criticism will be replied to.


	5. Chapter 5

**A Fair To Remember**

**Part Five: Fancy Meetin' You Here!**

**Author's Comments:** My thanks to those who read Chapter Four and offered comments, listed this tale as a Favorite Story or put it on Story Alert: Cajun Bear73, Harubibunny, Joe Stoppingham, MahlerAvatar, Muzzlehatch and Stormchaser 90.

Read on, people, and enjoy . . .

Kim glanced at the Doctor and saw that he looked as if he didn't know — or couldn't

remember — who this person was. But the stranger certainly seemed to know the Doctor, for

he continued chatting away in a delighted fashion.

"Don'cha remember? It's Drax! Met me last on Atrios when you an' Romana was

huntin' the Key to Time."

The Doctor frowned, tugged at his chin, and appeared to be searching his memory for

something. Then his face lit up with a smile of recognition, and he rapped his fist against the

side of his head.

"Drax! Of course! We were in the same technical course at the Academy on Gallifrey."

"Yeah, class o' '92 it was," the man replied happily.

"As I recall you were most proficient on practical operation of a TARDIS, weren't you?"

Drax nodded. "Yeah, but temporal theory was somethin' I never did get the hang of;

that's why I flunked."

"Wait a minute; time out!" Kim said firmly. "Doctor, is this man a Time Lord, like you?"

"That I am," Drax happily remarked.

"Of course! Why, Drax and I were at school together," the Doctor explained.

"But he doesn't talk like you."

At Kim's comment the Doctor gave Drax a questioning look. "Yes, Drax, where did you

acquire this South London manner of speech? I must say that it's very demotic."

Drax frowned. "Now, I explained all o' that five years ago. Don'cha remember,

Theet?"

"Doctor, if you please."

"Oh, right; sorry."

Drax glanced back in the direction they had all come from, then turned back to the door

of the toolshed.

"Let's just step into my TARDIS for a litttle privacy, right? No sense in attractin'

unnecessary attention."

"This is a TARDIS?" Ron asked. "I thought they looked like a telephone booth from the

outside."

"That's only if the chameleon circuit on yer TARDIS is U. S., like it is on the Doctor's."

Drax opened the door of the shed as he spoke and went in. Kim, Ron and the Doctor

followed, and stepped into an eight-sided room much like the one in the Doctor's TARDIS.

But while the walls were the same white color, the control console seemed a bit different.

There were also several sets of shelves around the room filled with things that might have

been electronic equipment, tools or spare parts.

Drax touched a control on the console and the door closed. "Well, 'ere we are;

welcome to my world." He walked over to a coat rack, took off his Inverness and deerstalker,

and hung them up. Kim noticed that while the Doctor had a full head of thick, curly hair, Drax

was somewhat bald, with hair only on the sides and back of his head. He was also definitely

shorter than the Doctor. In fact Drax was only slightly taller than Ron.

"Drax," said the Doctor, "you say we met on Atrios? Five years ago? And I was

searching for the Key to Time?"

"Yeah. Yuh found it too . . . " Drax stopped as the Doctor shook his head and waved

a hand.

"And you said I had somebody named Romana with me? Are you certain the name

wasn't Sarah Jane Smith?"

"No, 'er name was Romana! I'm sure o' that. Tall, long dark hair . . . "

"Well, what did I look like, then?"

Drax glanced at Kim. "Somethin' weird's goin' on 'ere." He turned back to the Doctor.

"Yuh looked the same as yuh do now," Drax explained in exasperation. "Same hair,

teeth, even the scarf was the same."

"Five years ago . . . hmmm. Can I check your controls, Drax? I need to find out a few

facts."

"Make yerself at home." Drax shrugged, and turned to address Kim and Ron.

"Well, while he's doin' that, is there anything I can do for you?"

Kim nodded. "Yes, could you tell me why you called the Doctor 'Theet' when you first

saw him?"

"It's short for Theta Sigma; we all called 'im 'Theet' back in the Academy."

"You and the Doctor went to school together?" Ron asked. "Was it anything like High

School is in Middleton?"

"Never been in this Middleton place, lad, so I can't really say," Drax calmly replied.

"And where did you learn to talk the way you do?"

At Kim's question Drax grew defensive. "Why? Is there somethin' funny about the way

I talk?'

"No, it's just . . . different," Kim said. "You sound like an Englishman."

"Well, that's 'cause I got stuck in England durin' the 1950s," Drax explained, as he

gestured at three chairs. "Let's sit down an' I'll fill yuh in."

As she took a seat Kim noted that the Doctor was firmly focused on the controls. Then

she turned her attention back to Drax.

"See, I went into repair and maintenance after the Academy. Do anything, anytime,

anywhere. Mostly cybernetics, y'know? Controls and guidance systems. Find something, fix

it up, sell it. Did real well for myself, mostly."

"And while you were doing this you got 'stuck in England?'" Kim prompted.

"Me transport broke down . . . hyperbolics, as usual . . . and while I was investigatin' the

possibility o' replacement parts, if yuh know what I mean . . . " Drax winked at Kim, and then

shrugged " . . . I got done, an' all. Got ten years in Brixton."

"Are you getting any of this, Kim?" Ron whispered in bewilderment.

"So, you had a breakdown and were stuck in England, you got arrested, and sentenced

to ten years in prison?" Kim felt sure she had understood Drax, but wanted to check, and at

the same time to let Ron know what Drax had said.

"That's it. I had to learn the lingo to fit in an' all while I was there." Drax grinned in a

way that reminded them both of the Doctor's smile.

"You said the Doctor's TARDIS had something that's broken," said Ron.

"Yes," Kim added, "I think you called it a chameleon circuit."

Drax nodded energetically. "Right-o. If it's workin' proper, the chameleon circuit will

make a TARDIS look like somethin' ordinary and normal for whatever time and place yuh land.

That's why mine looks like a toolshed in this exhibit. But the Doctor's TARDIS had a failure in

the circuit when he landed in England on Earth, right after it disguised itself to look like a police

box." He glanced at the Doctor, who was busy checking readouts on the control console.

"Says he's used to it that way, now, an' it's not worth the trouble o' fixin' it." Drax

lowered his voice and added, "Besides, if yer TARDIS always looks the same, yuh never

have any trouble findin' it."

"You said this chameleon circuit was . . . U. S.?" Kim asked.

"Yeah. Means it's 'unserviceable,' see?"

Kim was about to ask another question when a shout came from the Doctor.

"Ah-HAH! That's it!"

Kim, Ron and Drax looked at the Doctor, who was grinning at them in triumph. Kim

asked the question that was in all of their minds.

"What have you found, Doctor?"

"The universal chronograph shows a difference of over five years from the reading in

my TARDIS." He regarded his fellow Time Lord with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

"Drax, _you_ came _here_ from _my_ future."

"Blimey! Never had a meetin' like that, afore." Drax, Kim and Ron got up and joined

the Doctor at the console.

"Doctor, do you mean you and Drax are going to meet on this Atrios place in _your_

future, but for Drax, it happened five years ago?" As she spoke Kim wished she could talk

with her father or with Wade about this sitch; maybe they could understand it. It was

beginning to register rather high on the weirdness scale.

"Yes, in about four months, I'd say." As he spoke the Doctor and Drax were both

studying the instruments on the console with care.

"Did he remember you when you met?" Ron asked Drax. "I mean, five years ago. For

you," he added. Kim noticed that Ron sounded even more bewildered than she was.

"Not a sausage." Drax gazed at the Doctor thoughtfully. "Proper puzzle, innit, Doctor?"

"Does this sort of thing happen a lot?" At Kim's question both the Doctor and Drax took

on the air of Kim's younger brothers when their father caught them doing something he

disapproved of.

"Not supposed to," Drax remarked.

"Definitely something to avoid," the Doctor agreed. "The only thing worse is being in

the same place twice, at the same time."

"What happens then?" asked Ron. "Do you blow up, or something, if you meet

yourself?"

"Naw, but there's rules, regulations, . . . " Drax began, while the Doctor completed the

thought.

"It's just Not Being Done!"

"Drax, was there anything strange about the way you came here?" Kim's question

brought a look of surprise and respect to the Doctor's face.

"Yeah, there was somethin' . . . don't know just what it was, but it made for a real

bumpy landing." Drax frowned. "Messed up the dimensional stabliser an' the time

rotor, too."

"How long have you been here?" Kim went on.

"Two weeks. Mostly gettin' things fixed up, but takin' in the sights an' all in me spare

time."

While Kim and Drax were talking, the Doctor was again studying the console. Ron,

who wore a puzzled expression, was looking over his shoulder.

"You seem to be almost operational, though," the Doctor remarked.

"Yeah, just got ta fit a new crystal in the time rotor," Drax replied. "Been growin' one,

an' it should ready by now."

"That's why you checked the time and headed back here, I suppose?" Kim asked.

"'Ere! You saw that?" Drax regarded Kim with respect, and then asked the Doctor,

"Is she always that sharp?"

"Very sharp, Drax. And her martial art skills are rather impressive as well."

The Doctor frowned. "If another TARDIS was trying to materialize here just when

you arrived, Drax, the interaction of the energy fields might account for your equipment

malfunctions." He looked up from the console and regarded the others thoughtfully.

"But you arrived here two weeks before I did, so my TARDIS couldn't have caused it."

"You mean that a _third_ Time Lord might be here? One besides you and Drax,

I mean," Kim inquired.

"Yuh think 'there be three Richmonds in the field,' eh?"

The Doctor looked at his fellow Time Lord in surprise.

"Drax, how did you acquire a knowledge of Shakespeare?"

"There was a fair batch o' books in Brixton, with five o' the Bard's plays in it." Drax

shrugged. "I read 'em to pass the time an' learn all I could about England."

"And that was a line from a play by Shakespeare?" Kim asked the Doctor.

"Yes, from _Richard theThird,_" the Doctor explained. "Act five, scene seven, line ten,

I believe."

"There was a big book all about this fair, too," Drax went on. "Seemed to be a place

worth a visit when I needed a holiday, yuh know? After my last bit 'o work I decided to give

the place a dekko, an'," Drax shrugged again, "not half bad!"

"But why would another Time Lord want to come here, too?" Kim asked.

"Maybe it's somebody who wants to ride the first Ferris Wheel like you did, Doc," Ron

remarked.

"Well, once I get the time rotor fixed I'm leavin'," Drax announced, as he took a tool kit

from one of the shelves. "This fair is nice to visit, but I don't wanna live here!"

"Good idea. I'll stay put until late tomorrow, so you should have a smooth take-off,"

said the Doctor. Drax nodded his thanks as he began to work on the crystalline device that

stood up in the middle of the control console,

"I think we'll just leave you to your work, Drax." The Doctor pushed a control and the

door opened behind him. "Come along Ronald, Kimberly; we'd better be going."

"Nice meetin' you, folks," Drax remarked as Kim and Ron followed the Doctor out of the

TARDIS.

They stepped out of the TARDIS and back into the Transportation Building. Kim and

Ron followed the Doctor as he silently walked away from the 'tool shed,' saying nothing until

they were outside the building and in a secluded spot where they wouldn't be overheard.

"It's rather odd that I didn't remember meeting him when we met on Atrios," the Doctor

mused. "That is, when we_ do_ meet!" he added.

"If it hasn't happened yet for you," Kim remarked, "maybe you _will_ remember him."

"Yeah, second time around and all that," said Ron. The Doctor frowned at this.

"But I've never been on a planet called Atrios, I've never had a companion named

Romana, and I haven't seen Drax for over two hundred years, Ronald!" The Doctor shook

his head. "There's something very strange here, and I don't understand it."

As the Doctor was considering his problem, they had walked westward alongside the

Transportation Building. Ron gazed at the railroad exhibits on either side of the walkway, but

Kim noticed a windowless building ahead of them. It had to be at least three stories high, with

turrets on each corner and a tall tower rising from the center of the roof.

"Doctor, what's that building for?" Kim asked. "It almost looks like a castle, or a

fortress."

"Hmm? Oh, that's the Cold Storage Building, Kimberly. It has a mechanical

refrigeration plant that makes all the ice needed by the vendors on the fairgrounds, and keeps

the fresh meat supply for all the restaurants cold as well." They continued walking toward the

towering structure as the Doctor went back into his 'tour guide' mode.

"There's a railway line behind the building where they bring in the meat in refrigerated

railway wagons, and store it until it's needed. There's also an ice-skating rink on the upper

floor." He gave Kim and Ron a grin, and added, "It's the very first indoor, artificial ice rink

in America."

"You mean, there are people in there?"

"Probably. But why are you excited, Kimberly?"

"Because I think that building is on fire!" Kim pointed at the top of the tower, where a

thin thread of smoke was rising and growing thicker as they watched.

"Yes, that's right," the Doctor remarked. "I forgot about that. The Cold Storage Building

does catch fire and burn down. I didn't realize we were here on that particular day."

"Isn't it fireproof?" Ron asked curiously.

"No, it's just a metal framework covered by wood lath and a plaster-like material that

looks like stone. All the buildings here are like that, except the Palace of Fine Arts," the Doctor

calmly remarked.

Just then two men and a woman came rushing out of the building's main entrance,

shouting, "Fire! Fire! Call the Fire Brigade!"

"Come on, Ron! Mission time!" Kim snapped, and she set off for the Cold Storage

Building entrance at a dead run.

"Right behind you, KP!" Ron leaped in pursuit of Kim so quickly that his hat flew off.

"Kimberly! Ronald! Wait! It's too dangerous; don't . . . !" The Doctor's shout was

unheeded as the two teens charged through the doorway. " . . . go in there," the Doctor

finished softly. Kim and Ron had already disappeared into the building.

**TBC . . .**

**Author's Disclaimer and Notes:**

The Disney Company owns the Kim Possible concept and characters.

The British Broadcasting Corporation owns the Doctor Who concept.

The term TARDIS is also copyright by the BBC.

The plot of this story is my responsibility.

Except for the Palace of Fine Arts, all of the major buildings at the Columbian Exposition were built with metal and wood frameworks covered with a plasterer's material known as "staff." This stucco-like material was a mixture of plaster, cement and fibers. It was flexible, strong, dried fast and could be be molded and shaped very easily to look like stone, which made the rapid construction of the Exposition buildings possible. But the wooden frames of the buildings were not fireproof and the Cold Storage Building did catch fire on July 10, 1893.

The Palace of Fine Arts building at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair had brick walls covered with "staff," and an iron roof and floors so that it was possible to insure all the original art works that were put on display . After the World's Fair closed the building housed the Field Museum of Natural History until a new home for that collection was built. Then the Palace was overhauled and refitted to become the Museum of Science and Industry.

The descriptions and locations in this story of buildings and exhibits at the 1893 World's Fair are as accurate as possible.

Please leave a review if you can. All comments and criticism will be replied to.


	6. Chapter 6

**A Fair To Remember**

**Part Six: Fire and Ice**

**Author's Comments:** My thanks to those who read Chapter Five and offered comments, listed this tale as a Favorite Story or put it on Story Alert: Cajun Bear73, MahlerAvatar and Stormchaser 90.

Read on, people, and enjoy . . .

The moment they entered the Cold Storage Building, the two teens saw a set of stairs

that led up from the ground floor. Several people were hurrying down, and there was a strong

smell of smoke in the air. Kim and Ron promptly went up the steps, pausing only to help a

man and a woman who had slipped on the stairs.

"Just be calm, ma'am; there's plenty of time to get out," said Kim as she caught the

woman's arm.

"Easy, mister, watch your step!" Ron grabbed the man's coat as he staggered down

the stairs, steadied him and guided him toward the exit.

While the people who had been using the skating rink rushed out of the building, Kim

and Ron went on looking for anyone else who needed help. The smoke was getting thicker,

and the electric lights could barely cut through the murk, but Kim spotted a couple who were

on the far side of the rink, sitting on a bench and struggling with their iceskates. She headed

across the ice, using a foot-sliding gait she had learned that made it possible to get across

a slick surface. Behind her Kim heard Ron call, "Right behind you, . . . YEOWP!"

Reaching the far side of the rink Kim glanced back and saw Ron toboganing across

rink on his chest, pulling at the ice with his hands and pushing with his toes. She turned to the

couple, who were still seated, and realized they had just taken off their skates and were now

putting their shoes back on.

"Come on, you've got to get out of here!" Kim shouted, but the woman just pulled on her

left shoe and began to fasten what Kim realized were buttons on the leather.

""These shoes are brand new, and I'm not leaving them!" the woman replied.

"Pick 'em up and run!" Ron had reached the edge of the ice and gotten to his feet

again.

"There!" the woman cried, "I've got it!"

"Then let's get out of here!" Kim, Ron and the young man chorused.

"Across the ice!" Kim grabbed the woman's arm. "We'll help you; just slide your feet,

don't lift them."

In what might be called a slow-motion, gliding run, the four hurried across the rink.

Once the couple was safely headed down the stairs, Kim and Ron turned back to check for

others who might need help. They recrossed the ice rink and scanned the area carefully.

There was nobody in sight, the fire was breaking through the inner walls, the air was getting

thicker, and Kim had just decided it was time to leave . . . when the lights went out.

"Wires must've burned through," said Ron, peering about in the light of the flames.

"Can't be up to code, I'd say."

"HELLO! Is anybody else here?" Kim's shout was almost lost in the crackle of the fire.

Kim and Ron exchanged a glance; it was time to go. They dropped to the surface of

the rink and began to slither across it toward the stairs. The ice was getting wet from the

fire's heat. Then there was a wheezing, rumbling, whooshing sound, and the two teens were

astonished to see an Eskimo igloo materialize on the ice, a few feet from where they were. A

moment later the Doctor stuck his head out of the entrance tunnel of the igloo, saw them and

shouted, "Kimberly! Ronald! Get in here!"

The two teens scrambled across the wet ice and dove into the low entrance to the igloo.

Once through it they were only mildly surprised to find themselves inside the control room of

Drax's TARDIS. The Doctor gave Kim a hand up, while Ron got to his feet on his own. Drax

shoved a control on the console and the door closed behind them, cutting off the smoke.

"Go, Drax!" the Doctor shouted.

"Right! Sharp's the word, folks," Drax exclaimed, and the central crystalline pillar on the

console began to rise and fall. After about a minute it stopped, and both Time Lords turned to

look at Kim and Ron with a mixture of respect and exasperation.

"Chuck a chicken up the chimney!" Drax exclaimed. "Hope yuh don't do that sort

o' thing every day — might get a bit sticky, y'know."

"I'll thank you two not to scare me that way again," said the Doctor in a severe tone.

"Doctor, those people needed help," Kim protested. "We had to do _something_!"

"Human beings are quite my favorite species, but at times you can be an extremely

irritating one as well!" The Doctor took a deep breathe, let it out, and then went on in a calmer

voice.

"I know you want to help people in trouble, Kimberly, but if it weren't for Drax you might

have been trapped in that building."

Kim turned from the Doctor to face Drax. "I get it; you moved your TARDIS into the

building to help us get out." Before Drax could say anything, Kim continued, "Of course, it had

to be yours. It looked like an igloo! Your chameleon circuit works."

"That's it, miss," Drax answered happily.

"Thanks, dude," said Ron, as he shook hands with the Time Lord.

"Any time, mate."

"Say, where are we now?" Ron asked Drax, pointing at the viewscreen on the wall as

he spoke. "That looks like the place where your TARDIS was."

Kim turned to see what Ron meant and silently agreed with him. The screen showed a

locomotive and several railroad cars, like those they had seen in the Transportation Building.

The Doctor explained that after picking up the two teens in the burning building,

Drax had 'jumped' his TARDIS into the closest building, which held an exhibit about the

Pennsylvania Railroad.

"Doctor," said Kim, "you knew that the Cold Storage Building was going to burn down,

didn't you?"

The Doctor nodded. "Of course. That's a matter of established history."

"Then why didn't you do something to prevent it?" Kim asked sharply. "If you _know_ that

a building will burn down or a ship will sink, why not keep it from happening?"

"'Ere, we got laws 'bout that," Drax cut in. "That sort o' thing can cause a lot o' trouble."

"Yes, exactly. You might upset the cultural growth of a society, or by preventing one

tragedy, make an even worse one more likely."

"What do you mean?" Kim asked.

"Well, consider this city, for example," the Doctor explained. "On 20 December 1903,

here in Chicago there will be a fire in the new Iroquois Theatre during a show. Over six

hundred people will die, one-third of them children. But because of that fire many laws

requiring improvements to make theatres safer will be enacted."

"And if . . . " Kim began, but the Doctor waved her to silence and went on.

"If I prevent that fire, those laws won't be passed, and those safety measures won't be

installed." The Doctor gave Kim a firm gaze. "And ten years later there may be an even

worse catastrophe in some other theater. You see?"

Before Kim could answer there was a loud SNAP from the TARDIS console and a

strong smell of a freshly-baked blueberry pie.

"Well, that's done it right an' proper!" Drax exclaimed. "That little jump burned out the

chronostat." He shook his head in disgust, and muttered, "It's_ always_ the chronostat!" Then

Drax turned to look at Kim and Ron.

"See, I hadn't finished puttin' the new crystal in the time rotor when the Doctor rushed

in an' said we had to rescue you two, so I tickled the HADS to move the TARDIS into that

building, and then over to here." Drax shook his head. "Overloaded the chronostat doin' it."

Kim spoke before Ron could. "Let's just say I don't know what a 'hads' is, Drax.

Because I don't." She grinned at Ron with a 'Gotcha!' expression, and turned back to Drax.

"What is it for?"

"The Hostile Action Displacement System — the HADS," Drax replied. "When it's

turned on an' somebody attacks yer TARDIS, it dematerializes until the attack's over."

"And using that to save Ron and me made something burn out?"

"Exactly. Now we're immobilized until Drax finishes his work on the time rotor," the

Doctor answered. He gave a sigh. "Well, there's no help for it. If you promise not to run into

any more burning buildings, we can step outside and let Drax deal with his repairs."

The Doctor regarded the two teens sternly. "Otherwise we'll stay right here until he's

done."

"All right, Doctor, I promise: no more sudden rescues," Kim said dutifully.

"Okay, Doc, I promise too," Ron echoed.

"Thank you." The Doctor touched a control and the door opened, but then he stopped

and looked at Ron.

"But just one thing, Ronald? Please stop calling me 'Doc!'"

"Okay . . . uhh . . . dude," Ron replied. Kim hid a smile, and the Doctor gave a sigh.

"Well, I suppose that will do for now," the Doctor muttered as he led the way out the

door.

There was nobody in the exhibit building when they emerged from the TARDIS. To Kim

it looked as if everyone had gone to watch the fire in the Cold Storage Building. When they

left the exhibit, Kim saw that she was right, for there was a large crowd around the burning

structure.

Smoke was rising from the turrets on the building's four corners, and flames were

shooting out of the main entrance. Many firemen had arrived and water was streaming from

their hoses onto the flames. There were several steam-powered fire pumpers in action, and

a number of escape ladders had been set up, but they did not reach to the building's roof.

As they worked their way through the crowd, Kim, Ron and the Doctor overheard

people talking about the fire.

"I hope no one's still inside," said one man to a lady standing beside him.

"I saw some firemen go in," another man remarked, "but I believe everyone else got

out."

"Well, if anybody's still inside they'd better get out now," a third man said. ""That whole

building is likely to go!"

"They don't have a sprinkler sytem?" Ron asked the Doctor.

"I'm afraid not. Sturdy as they appear, these buildings are only temporary structures for

the six months of the fair," he explained. "Sprinklers are considered too expensive for such

things."

There was a scream from a lady in the crowd.

A man standing next to her shouted, "There's someone on the roof!"

Kim stared in shock, and counted at least eight figures on the flat roof of the Cold

Storage Building. She glanced at the escape ladders that were elevated from their two-

wheeled carriages, and realized that none of them was tall enough to reach the men.

"Doctor, those men! They're trapped! We've got to . . . "

"No, Kimberly, we can't," the Doctor said, his voice lowered. He drew the two teens to

the back of the crowd.

"We can't use Drax's TARDIS to rescue them because it's non-operational, and there

isn't enough time to retrieve my TARDIS and move it here," he explained, in a sad voice.

"But those men will _die_ if we don't do something!" Kim answered furiously.

"Yes, they will. According to the history of this tragedy, no visitors to the fair were lost,

but thirteen firemen and four workmen perished. They went into the building and then were

cut off from the doors by the fire." The Doctor's face was grim.

"Isn't there . . . " Kim began, but the Doctor shook his head and interrupted her.

"If I were to change history by preventing the assassination of President Lincoln, the

sinking of the _Titanic_, or the explosion of the space shuttle _Challenger_ it might make the

future you will live in totally irrelevant, and your families would never be born." Kim felt a chill

ar the Doctor's words. Her parents, the tweebs, Nana, Uncle Slim, Cousin Joss, Ron's

family . . . they might never exist if she meddled with history too much!

"Guys . . . ?" said Ron, as he gazed at the flaming building.

"In my previous regeneration, the TARDIS got shifted into an alternate universe where

history was totally different," the Doctor went on. "Everyone was a cruel mirror image of the

decent people I knew, and a project was underway to tap the power of the Earth's core.

I told them it was all wrong, but nobody listened to me. The project failed, and destroyed the

whole planet."

"Uhh . . . _guys_ . . . !" Ron repeated, more urgently.

"So we couldn't, oh, get rid of Hitler before he makes a mess of things?" Kim asked.

"Consider what Nazi Germany might have become if it had been controlled by some

other leader. Someone equally bent on conquest but not so crack-brained," the Doctor

replied. "He might concentrate on destroying England before attacking Russia, and not

declare war on America after Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor." He shook his head. "It

would not be pretty."

"Guys? _Hello!_ Building on fire, here!" Ron waved a hand between Kim's face and the

Doctor's face, and then pointed at the Cold Storage Building.

"Look! They're at the top of the tower, now!" Ron added desperately.

Kim and the Doctor looked back at the building which was now spouting smoke from all

four turrets. Figures could be seen at the top of the central tower, and flames were dancing in

plain sight along the roof's edges.

"I don't think you should see the end of this," the Doctor remarked. "Let's go back

inside . . . "

"Wait!" Kim snapped, in her 'mission mode' voice. "Look over there!" She pointed

toward a man who was standing slightly behind the main crowd. Everybody else was clearly

horror-stricken at what they were watching, but this man was not. He wasn't even watching

the fire, but just standing there with his eyes shut, wearing a strange, concentrated expression

and a blissful smile.

**TBC . . .**

**Author's Disclaimer and Notes:**

The Disney Company owns the Kim Possible concept and characters.

The British Broadcasting Corporation owns the Doctor Who concept.

The term TARDIS is also copyright by the BBC.

The plot of this story is my responsibility.

In December 1903 the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago was very new, and widely advertised as being "completely fireproof." But while the building was fireproof the seat cushions, draperies and furnishings were not. The so-called "fire curtain" was not really fireproof and a stage light kept the curtain from being fully lowered when smoke was first detected during an afternoon performance. Most of the people who died were victims of smoke inhalation or were smothered in the crush when the fire exits could not be opened against the crowd. The doors opened _into_ the auditorium instead of _outwards._

Just like all of the other major buildings at the Columbian Exposition ― except for the Palace of Fine Arts ― the Cold Storage Building was built with a metal and wood framework covered with the plasterer's material known as "staff." And since it was designed to keep heat outside and cold inside, there were no windows and only a few doors at the ground level. The Exposition had an extensive fire-fighting organization in place, and it responded quickly to the alarm. Firemen who went inside the building to determine the location of the blaze and how it could be fought became cut off from the exits by flames and smoke.

The descriptions and locations in this story of buildings and exhibits at the 1893 World's Fair are as accurate as possible.

Please leave a review if you can. All comments and criticism will be replied to.


	7. Chapter 7

**A Fair To Remember**

**Part Seven: Your Mission Is . . .**

**Author's Comments:** My thanks to all those who have read this story and offered Comments, listed this tale as a Favorite Story, put it on Story Alert or sent me a private message about it: Anonymous, Cajun Bear73, Harubibunny, Jimmy 1281, Joe Stoppingham, Mahler Avatar, Muzzlehatch, Old King Betsy, Sharp the Writer, Steve Robinson, Stormchaser 90 Simerlein

Read on, people, and enjoy . . .

Kim stared at the smiling man with a mixture of disgust and suspicion in her mind. He

seemed to be _enjoying_ the fire and the fact that men's lives were in great danger. _Maybe he_

started_ the fire_, Kim mused, _and now he's happy about it! But why does he have his eyes_

_closed_?

"That guy looks as if he likes this," Ron's voice came to Kim. "E-w-w-w-w! That's just

plain _wrong-sick_!"

Kim kept her gaze on the stranger, who suddenly opened his eyes. He turned and

looked directly at Kim, Ron and the Doctor, and his blissful expression changed to surprise,

followed by . . . fear? _He's afraid of us!_ Kim realized, but then her thoughts were interrupted

by yells and screams from the crowd watching the fire.

"They're jumping!"

"Oh, Lord have mercy!"

Kim glanced back at the Cold Storage Building, and saw a man leap from the tower and

fall toward the blazing roof. It was just like the World Trade Center! She remembered seeing

video clips of the 9/11 tragedy and the people who jumped from the burning upper floors of the

twin towers. She couldn't help those people in New York, and she couldn't help these men

now.

"Hey, where did that guy go?" Ron's question brought her attention back toward the

strange man, but he had vanished.

"Doctor, did you see that man?"

"I did, Kimberly; I rather think he's an Empath." The Doctor's voice was grim.

"Ah, what's an 'M-path' thingy?" Ron asked.

"I'll explain later," said the Doctor. "Let's get back to Drax's TARDIS."

"What's the sitch, anyway? What was that man doing?" Kim and Ron were almost

trotting to keep up with the Doctor's long strides.

"That fellow was absorbing emotional energy from the crowd and those men who were

trapped," he explained. "They're very good at calming down people who are panic-stricken

and frightened, but they can become addicted to the energy-surge they get when they do it."

"They get a high out of watching scared people?" Ron exclaimed. "Gross!"

"More than that, Ronald," the Doctor went on as they re-entered the Pennsylvania

Railroad Exhibit building. "Sometime Empaths develop a craving for feelings of fear and

panic that drives them to go hunting for tragedies to watch. They have also been known to

_cause_ tragedies so they will have panic to enjoy."

The building was still deserted; everyone was outside, watching the fire.

"If all he wanted to do was to absorb the fear of those people, why did he run away?"

"Empaths can detect anger when it's directed at themselves, Kimberly. You were angry

at him because he was enjoying the pain and terror of the trapped firemen, and he knew it,"

the Doctor answered. "That got his attention, and he saw the three of us watching him. Then,

when we looked at the fire again, he made a run for it."

The Doctor paused at the entrance to the railroad toolshed that was really Drax's

TARDIS. "A two-year war on the planet Zarauff was caused by six Empaths just so they could

gorge themselves on fear, hatred and terror energies."

"Maybe this guy started the fire so he could get a jolt from it." Ron's voice held a

mixture of disbelief and disgust.

"But those men were _dying_! If he caused that fire, then it's murder!" Kim exclaimed

as the Doctor opened the door.

"It might be," the Doctor replied as they entered the console room of Drax's TARDIS.

"Drax! Are you finished with your repairs?"

"Oh, 'ello, Thee . . . Doctor," Drax quickly corrected himself. "Yeh, just finished. Now

she's all fixed up an' ready to fly."

"Actually, I need to use the scanners." The Doctor stepped to the console, but before

he could do anything a new voice was heard in the room.

"Well, there you are at last, Doctor; I've been looking for you."

"Who's that?" Kim pointed at the viewscreen on the wall. It showed a man in

formal-looking robes and a close-fitting head-cowl. He seemed to be gazing directly at her.

"This must be Kimberly, and her friend Ronald. Rufus and K-9 have told me quite a bit

about you two."

"Oh, you contacted my TARDIS," the Doctor remarked. "But where are my manners?"

He looked at Kim and Ron, and gestured toward the figure on the viewscreen. "Kimberly,

Ronald, may I present Chancellor Borusa, a Time Lord like myself. I had several classes

under him in the Academy."

"How do you do, sir," said Kim, while Ron waved at the viewscreen in greeting.

"And this person is . . . ?" Borusa regarded Drax thoughtfully.

"This is Drax," the Doctor explained. "You remember Drax, surely."

"Yes . . . yes, I do . . . " Borusa frowned and gave Drax an annoyed look. "I believe

that you had the lowest marks in Temporal Theory of any student in my teaching career."

"Well, some of us got the knack, some of us don't," Drax said placidly.

"In any case, Doctor, we need you to perform a small task for us," Borusa began, only

to be interupted by the Doctor.

"Hah! I knew it, the High Council wants me to do something for them. Well, I _won't_ do

it, whatever it is! In my previous regeneration they kept sending me here, there and

everywhere to tidy things up for them, and I got rather sick of it."

"Doctor, if . . . " Borusa tried again, but the Doctor didn't listen.

"Besides, I was released from that duty, Borusa, as you well know." The Doctor turned

his back to the viewscreen with an air of 'and that's final!'

"Doctor, maybe you should hear what he wants you to do, first," Kim said, in a

reasonable tone. "It might be something you'd want to do anyway."

The Doctor looked at Kim, opened his mouth to speak, changed his mind, glanced at

Ron, and then Drax.

"It can't hurt to listen, can it?" Ron asked, cautiously.

Drax nodded in a knowing way. "I've never met anything that was so dangerous yuh

couldn't at least talk about it."

"Oh, very well, Borusa." The Doctor sighed, and turned to face the viewscreen again.

"What is it this time?"

"A TARDIS is being used by a non-Time Lord," Borusa explained. "To be specific, a

native of the planet Empathios."

"Doctor, is that where that 'empath' person we saw came from?" Kim broke in.

"Yes, Kimberly, I'm afraid so," the Doctor replied. In the screen Borusa raised an

eyebrow, but didn't seem very surprised.

"You've seen an Empath on Earth at your present time and place, then." It was a

statement, not a question.

"And you're not surprised that he's here, are you, Borusa?" said the Doctor. "You must

have a tracer on the stolen TARDIS, then."

"An advanced study team from the Academy was visiting Empathios, using several

capsules. Each TARDIS could track the others so that the instructor . . . "

" . . . Could keep an eye on his students, yes, Borusa, I see. And an Empath got away

with one, right?"

"How do like that, KP? Even these people have car thieves," Ron observed. Kim made

a 'shushing' gesture; she wanted to hear the details.

"Then you realize the danger an Empath can be to your favorite planet, Doctor. The

High Council wants the stolen TARDIS retrieved before serious damage is done to the history

and culture of Earth, and I assured them that you would pursue this task with a whole-hearted

enthusiasm," Borusa explained. "You can also carry out this mission with a minimum of

disturbance all around."

"I get it!" Drax remarked with a grin at Kim and Ron. He jerked a thumb at the image

of Borusa on the viewscreen. "The Establishment wants the Doctor to clean up the mess for

them on the quiet. No names, no packdrill, eh?" he added to Borusa.

In the screen Borusa scowled at Drax. "I see . . . you haven't changed a bit."

"So, how do we find this Empath?" Kim asked Borusa. "If he can hop around in time

and space like the Doctor, he could be any_ place_ and any _time_." She shook her head. "This

is a really tough sitch."

"I have loaded the tracer code into the controls of the Doctor's TARDIS," Borusa calmly

replied. "You will have no difficulty in determining where the stolen TARDIS has gone."

Ron nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me, KP."

The Doctor frowned at Kim. "Now, see here, Kimberly! You and Ronald are going back

to Middleton, Colorado, as soon as we get back to my TARDIS. K-9 and I can deal with this

'sitch,' as you call it, once I've dropped you two off."

"Doctor, this Empath sounds like a threat bigger than anything Doctor Drakken or

Professor Dementor has ever cooked up," Kim firmly replied. "What if he meddles with history

and changes things so much that Middleton isn't there when you try to take us home?"

"Say, that could destroy Bueno Nacho!" Ron exclaimed in horror. His face turned grim

and his manner became deadly serious. "Let's go, Kim." Ron slapped his left palm with his

right fist. "We've got an Empath to catch!"

"I think you will find their assistance most helpful, Doctor," Borusa remarked. "You've

had assistants and companions many times in the past. Why not let Kimberly, Ronald, and

their friend Rufus join that group?"

"You realize I may have to pursue this fellow anywhere in history, don't you?" the

Doctor warningly asked Kim. "It will be very difficult, and extremely hazardous."

"It can't be any worse than fighting Monkey Fist, or stopping Drakken's plot _du jour_,"

Kim answered.

"It could be very dangerous for you both!" the Doctor said, verbally clutching at his last

straw.

"Well then, let's get dangerous!" Ron snapped. Then he grinned. "I've _always_ wanted

to say that, KP."

Kim rolled her eyes at Ron's remark, and muttered, "Thank you, Darkwing." Then she

hit the Doctor full-force with her 'ultimate weapon:' the 'Puppy-Dog Pout' of the Possible family

females. "Let us help you, Doctor," she cooed sweetly. "Pu-wease?"

The Doctor looked away from Kim, glanced at Drax, and then at Borusa's image in the

viewscreen. He looked back at Kim, then Ron, and then Kim again. His shoulders sagged

in defeat.

"Kimberly, I know that I may live to regret this, but . . . all right! You and Ronald can

come with me."

"Very good, Doctor," said Borusa. "You can contact me when you have retrieved the

stolen TARDIS. All necessary information is already loaded into the computer of your

TARDIS." He shifted his gaze from the Doctor and pointed at Drax.

"However, I'd like to see you back here on Gallifrey," Borusa continued. Drax's face

sagged in apprehension.

"Blimey! Wot 'ave I done now?" he muttered.

"When that Empath made off with that TARDIS he was able to over-ride the safety

circuits that should have prevented the theft," Borusa explained. "And as I recall, Drax, you

are very adept at finding potential weak spots in a TARDIS control system and in developing

corrective measures."

Drax's face lit up with relief. "Oh, you want to hire me for a job o' work, then?"

"Exactly."

Borusa smiled at them all. "From what I've been told about you, Kimberly, with

you, Ronald and Rufus to assist him, the Doctor should be able to settle this matter easily.

Good luck." The viewscreen went blank.

"Now, I ask you: why does it always have ta be good luck?" Drax remarked in a general

way. "I rely on skill, most o' the time."

"Shouldn't we go back to your TARDIS and start searching for this Empath, Doctor?"

The Doctor gazed at Kim and Ron for a moment before he answered.

"Well, Kimberly, if you two are determined to come with me . . . "

"We are!" the two teens chorused.

" . . . then we'd better get started," he finished, in a slightly annoyed tone. "Drax, may I

hop your TARDIS over to mine? The sooner I start the sooner the job will be done."

"Be my guest, Doctor," Drax made a 'help yourself' gesture at the console.

The Doctor tapped the keys on one control panel, threw two switches, and then

pushed a knob-headed lever down. The central column began to rise and fall, and a smooth

whooshing noise was heard. After about a minute the Doctor pulled the lever up, the column

stopped moving, and the control room was quiet. The Doctor snapped another switch and

the viewscreen lit up.

"Right; here we are," said the Doctor. "Come along, Kimberly, Ronald. Thank you,

Drax!" The door swung open and the Doctor went out, quickly followed by Kim and Ron.

Behind them they heard Drax's voice.

"Good luck . . . ah, good hunting, Doctor! Keep an' eye on 'im, you two," he added,

just before the door closed.

Kim had barely heard what Drax said, for instead of the British Pavilion she and Ron

were surprised to find themselves actually inside the control room of the Doctor's TARDIS.

They turned around to see that they had just stepped out of an old-fashioned wardrobe

that stood in one corner of the eight-sided room.

"Greetings, Master! Mistress Kimberly . . . Master Ronald," K-9 said to them. From

where he sat on K-9's head, Rufus waved a paw and squeaked, "Hi!"

"Rufus! Did you miss me?" Ron quickly scooped up his pet, while Kim walked over to

the Doctor, who was now studying a small screen on one control panel.

"Doctor, is that Drax's TARDIS?" She pointed at the wardrobe as it began to make the

'wheeze-whooshing' sound again. It also smoothly faded away until it was completely gone

from sight.

"Yes, of course," the Doctor absently replied.

"But how could something as big as a TARDIS is — well, inside, anyway — fit inside

_another_ TARDIS?"

The Doctor looked up with a smile on his face. "Kimberly, the outside of a TARDIS is

very small; only the inside is big. So you can easily fit that small 'outside' into a room on the

'inside' of another TARDIS. You see?" Kim started to say that she _didn't_ understand it, then

decided to just let the matter go.

"Sort of," Kim said. "Do you know where the Empath is, yet?"

"Yes, I believe I have a location for the stolen TARDIS." The Doctor frowned. "But it

seems to have its protective force-field turned on, so we can't just materialize inside it."

Kim glanced at Ron, who was conversing with Rufus, using K-9 as an interpreter. Then

the Doctor gave a growl of annoyance.

"Well, seeing us seems to have spooked the fellow into flight! His TARDIS has just

dematerialized."

"You mean, he got away?" Ron had stood up, still holding Rufus, and come over to

join Kim at the Doctor's side.

"Oh, I can track him, never fear. Hmmm . . . he seems to be traveling into the past, and

somewhat east by south as well," the Doctor muttered.

"So, we follow him until he stops somewhere and somewhen, then we grab him, right?"

Ron asked.

"Exactly. And once the stolen TARDIS is returned to Gallifrey, I can get you two safely

home."

Kim nodded as she gazed at the swirling patterns on the console screen. This was just

about the strangest sitch she and Ron had ever had to tackle: chasing a villain through time

and space, to catch him before he changed history and made the Middleton they lived in

disappear! _Daddy always says that anything is possible for a Possible,_ she thought. _I wonder_

_what he'd say if I told him about this?_

**The End - For Now . . . **

**Author's Disclaimer and Notes:**

The Disney Company owns the Kim Possible concept and characters.

The British Broadcasting Corporation owns the Doctor Who concept.

The term TARDIS is also copyright by the BBC.

The plot of this story is my responsibility.

So . . . Kim, Ron and Rifus won't be going home to Middleton just yet. They have an important mission in hand, and Team Possible never leaves a mission unfinished. Where will the stolen TARDIS go? What will our friends and the Doctor have to deal with? Not to worry, the next story in this story arc is already well advanced and posting of it will begin as soon as it is ready. Anyone who thinks they know what the next story will hold is free to make a suggestion.

The descriptions and locations in this story of buildings and exhibits at the 1893 World's Fair are as accurate as possible.

Please leave a review if you can. All comments and criticism will be replied to.


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